Captain Marvel role made Brie Larson want to 'throw people'

The tagline has been synonymous with the highly anticipated Captain Marvel but what people may not know, is that it became the personal motto for Brie Larson when she played the titular superhero.

At the Captain Marvel press conference held at Marina Bay Sands this morning (Feb 14), Brie told AsiaOne that she liked to face challenging situations and used those experiences as fuel for her acting.

She said: "For me, it's all about putting myself in experiences that allow me to confront myself."

Brie explained that a key consideration for Captain Marvel was her strength and in an attempt to redefine and embody "female strength", she underwent nine months of daily training to test her limits and see how strong she could get.

And it clearly had a profound impact on the Academy Award-winning actress who feels so empowered, she sometimes thinks about throwing people around.

"It changed me so much. It changed my mind. It changed the way I viewed the world - especially martial arts. It's crazy how differently you start to view the world. Once I started doing more judo, I would be like 'That guy has a jean jacket on, I could totally throw him right now'," she joked, much to the amusement of the journalists present.

The cast of Captain Marvel, along with directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, are here in Singapore to promote Captain Marvel. The movie follows Carol Danvers' rise to Captain Marvel (the mightiest superhero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe) as she, along with Earth, are caught in the middle of a war between two alien races.

Brie added: "It's just weird - your brain just goes into these crazy places, but there's something about pushing yourself beyond a threshold that's comfortable and then even going further than that.

"And it means sometimes that you end up on the floor crying, begging for it to stop; but all of that is who Carol is. When I see that montage of her over the years getting back up (on her feet), I feel like that was 100 per cent my experience in my life and the prep for the film."

When asked if she sent her workout videos to him as a form of motivation, she quipped: "It was just a brag, legitimately. When you're pushing a jeep up a hill for 60 seconds, I feel like you've got a lot to brag about."

Well, aside from her (possibly) near-superhuman strength, Brie has even more to brag about as she is fronting Marvel's first female-led movie. However, that's a narrative that co-director Anna hopes will not define Captain Marvel or any female-led superhero movies.

Directors Anna Boden and Ryan FleckPhoto: AsiaOne

Commenting on being Marvel's first female director, she said: "This is a movie I really wanted to be a part of, so having that experience has been really amazing. But it's 2019, and I think everyone in here looks forward to the day that it's not newsworthy that a woman is directing this kind of movie."

Another thing that they won't talk about? Captain's Marvel role in Avengers: Endgame - the conclusion of the Infinity Stones arc in the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe).

"That is a really great question," Brie said to the journalist who stepped up to the mike. However, she explained that it was one that she "absolutely cannot answer", drawing laughs from those in attendance.

She added: "But, more power to you for trying. Very good try."

Brie LarsonPhoto: AsiaOne

Brie was also joined by castmates Samuel and Gemma Chan. Gemma played Astrid Leong in the hit film Crazy Rich Asians and now cashes in her MCU membership in the role of a tough and "badass" Minn-Erva.

"I like the idea of playing a character that's different from what I've done before. The characters couldn't be further apart. Astrid is very gentle and kind, Minn-Erva is kind of the opposite," she said.

"The main thing was the physical challenge. I had to start doing kickboxing training and sniper training. The main thing I had to be concerned about was trying not to hit myself in the face with my rifle.

"It was an ongoing concern that I would accidentally do that. (But) I love it! It was great to play a character that was sarcastic with sassy one-liners."

Gemma Chan plays a "badass" Minn-ErvaPhoto: AsiaOne

Singapore will be the only stop in Asia for the Captain Marvel talent tour.